Ismaily suffer shock 18-player absence ahead of Pharco clash

Ismaily SC were forced to confront a major squad crisis ahead of their final Egyptian Premier League match against Pharco FC after 18 players became unavailable for the encounter.

The Darawish entered the final round already relegated from the Egyptian top flight alongside Pharco, but preparations for the match were severely disrupted by a wave of absences that left the technical staff with very limited options.

Three players were ruled out due to injuries after medical assessments confirmed they were unfit to participate, while two others missed the game through suspension following an accumulation of yellow cards.

The biggest setback, however, came from a large group of players who informed the coaching staff they would not be available due to injury concerns ahead of the season finale.

The situation left Ismaily with a heavily depleted squad and forced the club to approach the match with only a small number of available senior players.

Administrative complications also prevented the club from promoting additional youth players to fill the gaps in the squad, as several academy players reportedly do not yet have fully documented contracts registered with the Egyptian Football Association.

As a result, Ismaily were left with no option but to complete the campaign with a reduced squad despite the magnitude of the absences.

The difficult circumstances capped off a disappointing season for the former Egyptian champions, whose relegation from the Premier League had already been confirmed weeks earlier after a turbulent campaign filled with instability both on and off the pitch.

The crisis surrounding the Pharco game has further highlighted the growing challenges facing the club as they prepare for life in the Egyptian second tier next season.